Saif al-Islam wants to ‘contribute to unification of Libya’

The son of the late Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi was released from jail several weeks ago and has been living in the town of Zintan. He has been allowed to walk free under an amnesty provision by the Libyan House of Representatives in Tobruk.

Lawyer Marcel Ceccaldi confirmed on Friday his client had left jail on April 12, 2016 and that he was not serving time under house arrest.

Ceccaldi said Saif al-Islam wanted to “contribute to the political unification of Libya” and “fight against terrorism,” in reference to the Islamic State group, which has taken over key parts of the north African country.

Another lawyer, Karim Khan, said Wednesday that Saif al-Islam was released under an amnesty declared by the Tobruk parliament.

The lawyer said the release was made “in accordance with (Libyan) law”.

Khan declined to say whether he had spoken to his client, saying only that he “is well and safe and in Libya”.

Saif al-Islam had been held since 2011 by a militia in Zintan, a mountainous western region beyond the control of militias in Tripoli.